Az Zawiya Town Profile - Applied Research...
Transcript of Az Zawiya Town Profile - Applied Research...
Az Zawiya Town Profile
Prepared by
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
Funded by
Spanish Cooperation
2013
Palestinian Localities Study Salfit Governorate
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Acknowledgments
ARIJ hereby expresses its deep gratitude to the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for
Development (AECID) for their funding of this project.
ARIJ is grateful to the Palestinian officials in the ministries, municipalities, joint services councils,
village committees and councils, and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) for their
assistance and cooperation with the project team members during the data collection process.
ARIJ also thanks all the staff who worked throughout the past couple of years towards the
accomplishment of this work.
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Background
This report is part of a series of booklets, which contain compiled information about each city, town, and
village in the Salfit Governorate. These booklets came as a result of a comprehensive study of all
localities in Salfit Governorate, which aims at depicting the overall living conditions in the governorate
and presenting developmental plans to assist in developing the livelihood of the population in the area. It
was accomplished through the "Village Profiles and Needs Assessment;" the project funded by the
Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID).
The "Village Profiles and Needs Assessment" was designed to study, investigate, analyze and document
the socio-economic conditions and the needed programs and activities to mitigate the impact of the
current unsecure political, economic and social conditions in Salfit Governorate.
The project's objectives are to survey, analyze, and document the available natural, human,
socioeconomic and environmental resources, and the existing limitations and needs assessment for the
development of the rural and marginalized areas in Salfit Governorate. In addition, the project aims at
preparing strategic developmental programs and activities to mitigate the impact of the current political,
social, and economic instability with the focus on the agricultural sector.
All locality profiles in Arabic and English are available online at http://vprofile.arij.org.
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Table of Contents
Location and Physical Characteristics ___________________________ 4
History _____________________________________________________________ 5
Religious and Archaeological Sites _______________________________ 6
Population _________________________________________________________ 6
Education __________________________________________________________ 7
Health Status ______________________________________________________ 8
Economic Activities _______________________________________________ 8
Agricultural Sector _______________________________________________ 10
Institutions and Services _________________________________________ 13
Infrastructure and Natural Resources __________________________ 13
Environmental Conditions _______________________________________ 15
Impact of the Israeli Occupation ________________________________ 16
Development Plans and Projects ________________________________ 21
Implemented Projects ____________________________________________ 21
Proposed Projects ________________________________________________ 22
Locality Development Priorities and Needs _____________________ 23
References ________________________________________________________ 24
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Az Zawiya Town Profile
Location and Physical Characteristics
Az Zawiya is a Palestinian town in the Salfit Governorate located 13.5 km west of Salfit City. Az
Zawiya is bordered by Biddya town to the east, Rafat to the south, Kafr Qasem village (from the 1948
occupation) to the west, and „Azzun „Atma village (in Qalqiliya Governorate) and Mas-ha village to the
north (ARIJ-GIS, 2013) (See Map 1).
Map 1: Az Zawiya location and borders
Source: ARIJ - GIS Unit, 2013.
Az Zawiya is located at an altitude of 233 m above sea level with a mean annual rainfall of 587.6 mm.
The average annual temperature is 19 Co and the average annual humidity is approximately 62% (ARIJ-
GIS, 2013).
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Since 1997, Az Zawiya has been governed by a Municipal Council which is currently administrated by
10 members appointed by the Palestinian National Authority. There are also 13 employees working in
the council, which owns a permanent headquarters that is included within the Joint Services Council of
West Salfit. The Council also owns a pickup car and a hammer, but not vehicle for the collection of
solid waste (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
It is the responsibility of the Municipal Council to provide a number of services to the residents of Az
Zawiya, including (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012):
The establishment and maintenance of the drinking water and electricity networks.
Waste collection, road construction and restoration, street cleaning and social development
services.
The organization of construction and licensing processes.
Implementation of projects and studies for the town.
Protection of historical and archeological sites in the town.
Provision of transportation.
Provision of kindergartens.
History
Az Zawiya town‟s (literally meaning „the corner‟) name has two origins. Firstly, its direct translation as
„the corner‟ supposedly derives from the existence of nooks (Khalawi), which are corners or places used
by mystics for privacy and worship. The second reason claims it was named so because a woman from
the town vowed to herself to build a corner for worship if God saved her son from war or a disease.
The town was established approximately 1,600 years ago, as the existence of the Romanian Khirba of
Sirisya and Qassis Convent on lands of the town are considered evidence to the town‟s date of
establishment. Its residents however are originally from the Arabian Peninsula, as it is believed they are
the ancestors of Profit Omar Ben al Khattab (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
Photo of Az Zawiya
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Religious and Archaeological Sites
There are three mosques in the town (Omar ben al Khattab, As Siddiq and Az Zawiya Grand Mosque).
The town has several sites of archaeological interest including: Qassis Convent, Khirbet Sirisya, As
Sider Area, Az Zawiya Springs and Ar Rmeilah Area. One should note here that none of these sites are
rehabilitated or qualified for tourism (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012) (See Map 2).
Map 2: Main locations in Az Zawiya Town
Source: ARIJ - GIS Unit, 2013.
Population
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), the total population of Az Zawiya in
2007 was 4,692, of whom 2,361 were male and 2,331 female. There were 888 households registered as
living in 992 housing units.
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Age Groups and Gender
The General Census of Population and Housing carried out by PCBS in 2007 showed the distribution of
age groups in Az Zawiya is as follows: 40.2% were less than 15 years of age, 56.1% were between 15
and 64 years of age, and 3.5% were 65 years of age or older. Data also showed that the sex ratio of
males to females in the town is 101.3:100, meaning that males and females constitute 50.3% and 49.7%
of the population, respectively.
Families
Az Zawiya residents are from several families, including Shqeir, Mawqidi and Radad families (Az Zawiya
Municipality, 2012).
Education
According to the results of the PCBS Population, Housing and Establishment Census-2007, the illiteracy
rate among Az Zawiya population is approximately 6.3%, of whom 73.8% are females. Of the literate
population, 12.3% could only read and write, with no formal education, 22% had elementary education,
26.7% had preparatory education, 19.5% had secondary education, and 13.3% completed higher
education. Table 1 shows the educational level in the town of Az Zawiya by sex and educational
attainment in 2007.
Table 1: Az Zawiya population (10 years and above) by sex and educational attainment
S
E
x
Illite-
rate
Can
read &
write
Element-
ary
Preparat-
ory
Second-
ary
Associate
Diploma Bachelor
Higher
Diploma Master
PhD Un-
known Total
M 56 201 361 487 349 94 138 4 9 2 0 1,701 F 158 217 388 420 314 70 128 2 4 0 1 1,702 T 214 418 749 907 663 164 266 6 13 2 1 3,403 Source: PCBS, 2009.
There are five public schools in the town (all run by the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education)
(Directorate of Education in Salfit, 2012) (see Table 2).
Table 2: Schools in Az Zawiya by name, stage, sex, and supervising authority (2011/2012)
School Name Supervising Authority Sex
Az Zawiya Co-educated Elementary School Government Mixed
Az Zawiya Girls Secondary School Government Female
Az Zawiya Girls Elementary Higher School Government Female
Az Zawiya Boys Secondary School Government Male
Az Zawiya Boys Elementary School Government Male
Source: Directorate of Education in Salfit, 2012
In the town there are 1,456 students, 93 teachers, and 58 classes. The average number of students per
teacher in the school is nearly 16, whilst the average number of students per class is approximately 25
(Directorate of Education in Salfit, 2012).
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There are two kindergartens in Az Zawiya town run by a private organization (Directorate of Education in
Salfit, 2012) (See table 3 below).
Table 3: Kindergartens in Az Zawiya town by name and supervising authority
Name of Kindergarten No. of Classes No. of Teachers Supervising Authority
Ar Rahma Kindergarten 3 3 Private
Az Zuhoor Kindergarten 3 4 Private Source: Directorate of Education in Salfit, 2012
The educational sector in Az Zawiya town faces a number of obstacles, mainly the lack of classrooms
and crowded classrooms in some schools (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012)
Health Status
Az Zawiya has one governmental health center (Az Zawiya Health Clinic), 2 medical laboratories (one
private and one governmental), a governmental mother and child care center, a private general physician
clinic, 2 private dental clinics and a private pharmacy. In the absence of required health services or in
emergencies, patients are transferred to Yasir Arafat Governmental Hospital in Salfit city (22.5 km
away) (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
The health sector in the town faces a number of obstacles and problems, principally (Az Zawiya
Municipality, 2012):
The lack of a specialized hospital to serve the town, in addition to neighboring villages.
The lack of specialized medical staff.
The lack of an ambulance.
Economic Activities
The economy in Az Zawiya is dependent mainly on the Israeli labor market which absorbs 30% of the
town‟s workforce (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012) (See Figure 1).
The results of a field survey conducted by the ARIJ team in 2012 for the distribution of labor by
economic activity in Az Zawiya are as follows:
Israeli Labor Market (30%)
Government or Other Employees Sector (20%)
Trade Sector (20%)
Agriculture Sector (10%)
Industry (10%)
Services Sector (10%)
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Figure 1: The distribution of labor force among main economic activities in Az Zawiya
Source: Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012
Az Zawiya has 65 groceries, 1 fruits and vegetable store, 1 bakery, 2 butcheries, 7 service stores, 20
different professional workshops, 1 stone cutter, 1 olive oil-press, 1 store for agricultural tools and 1
agricultural nursery (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
The unemployment rate in Az Zawiya reached 30% in 2012 and the groups most affected economically
by the Israeli restrictions have been (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012):
Workers in the agriculture sector.
Workers in the trade sector.
Industrial workers.
Former workers in Israel.
Workers in the services sector.
Labor Force
According to the PCBS Population, Housing and Establishment Census-2007, 32.3% of Az Zawiya
labor force was economically active, of whom 78.5% were employed, 67.6% were not economically
active, 56.8% were students, and 30.9% were housekeepers (See Table 4).
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Table 4: Az Zawiya population (10 years of age and above) by sex and employment status
S
e
x
Economically active Non-economically active
Not
stated Total Employ-
ed
Currently
Unem-
ployed
Un-
employed
(never
worked)
Total Stud-
ent
House-
keeping
Unable
to work
Not
working
& not
looking
for work
Others Total
M 727 84 122 933 611 2 106 20 22 761 7 1,701
F 133 9 20 162 696 708 106 1 29 1,540 0 1,702
T 860 93 142 1,095 1,307 710 212 21 51 2,301 7 3,403 M: Male; F: Female; T: Total.
Source: PCBS, 2009.
Agricultural Sector
Az Zawiya has a total area of around 12,000 dunums of which 5,548 are „arable‟ land and 603 dunums
are registered as „residential‟ (See Table 5 and Map 3).
Table 5: Land use and land cover in Az Zawiya town (area in dunum)
Total
Area
Built
up
Area
Agricultural area
(5,548)
Inland
water
Forests Open
Spaces
Area of
Industrial,
Commercial &
Transport Unit
Area of
Settlements,
Military
Bases &
Wall Zone
Permanent
Crops
Green-
houses
Range-
lands
Arable
lands
12,000 603 5,000 7 348 193 0 0 4,885 80 885
Source: ARIJ – GIS Unit, 2012.
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Map 3: Land use/land cover and Segregation Wall in Az Zawiya Town
Source: ARIJ - GIS Unit, 2013.
Table 6 shows the different types of rain-fed and irrigated open-cultivated vegetables in Az Zawiya. The
most commonly cultivated crops within this area are tomatoes, green beans and cauliflowers.
Table 6: Total area of rain-fed and irrigated open cultivated vegetables in Az Zawiya (area in dunums)
Fruity
vegetables
Leafy
vegetables Green legumes Bulbs
Other
vegetables Total Area
Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr.
17 53 0 27 0 15 0 9 0 0 17 104 Rf.: Rain-fed; Irr.: Irrigated.
Source: Ministry of agriculture-Salfit, 2010
Table 7 shows the different types of fruit trees planted in the area. Az Zawiya is famous for olive
cultivation; there are approximately 2,250 dunums of land planted with olive trees in the town.
Table 7: Total area of horticulture and olive trees in Az Zawiya (area in dunums)
Olives Citrus Stone-fruits Pome fruits Nuts Other fruits Total Area
Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr.
2,250 0 0 0 67 0 0 0 0 0 60 0 2,377 0 Rf.: Rain-fed; Irr.: Irrigated.
Source: Ministry of agriculture-Salfit, 2010
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In terms of field crops and forage in Az Zawiya, cereals (particularly wheat) are the most cultivated,
covering an area of about 130 dunums (See Table 8).
Table 8: Total area of horticulture and olive trees in Az Zawiya (area in dunums)
Cereals Bulbs Dry
legumes Oil crops
Forage
crops
Stimulatin
g crops
Other
crops Total Area
Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr. Rf. Irr.
130 0 33 0 44 0 3 0 27 0 0 0 21 0 258 0 Rf.: Rain-fed; Irr.: Irrigated.
Source: Ministry of agriculture-Salfit, 2010
The difference between the two sets of results obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture and by ARIJ‟s
GIS Unit in sizes of agricultural areas is explained by the difference in each organization‟s definition of
land coverage and ownership. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Palestinian Central Bureau of
Statistics (2011) conducted a survey which used a definition of agricultural areas based on land
ownership. Therefore, the areas included in the survey were those of actual holdings of agricultural areas
instead of seasonal ones. The survey did not consider fragmented and small seasonal cultivated areas in
residential and agricultural areas. ARIJ‟s survey, however, indicated the existence of a high proportion
of small and fragmented holdings (home gardens) throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. This
therefore accounts for the larger area of agricultural holdings calculated by ARIJ.
The field survey conducted by ARIJ team shows that 5% of the residents in Az Zawiya rear and keeps
domestic animals such as sheep and goats (See Table 9).
Table 9: Livestock in Az Zawiya
Cows* Sheep Camels Poultry Bee Hives 7 1,680 0 44,000 84
*Including cows, bull calves, heifer calves and bulls
Source: Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture - Salfit, 2010
There approximately 45 kilometers of agricultural roads in the town, divided as follows (Az Zawiya
Municipality, 2012):
Table 10: Agricultural Roads in Az Zawiya Town and their Lengths
Suitability of Agricultural Roads Length (km)
For vehicles 12
For tractors and agricultural machinery only 6
For animals only 15
Unsuitable 12 Source: Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012
The agricultural sector in the town faces some problems, including (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012):
The lack of suitable agricultural roads.
The lack of water sources and artesian wells to be used for cultivation.
The decreasing attention on the agricultural sector.
The lack of agricultural projects and support for farmers.
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The existence of the Segregation Wall which prevents farmers from accessing large areas of their
lands.
Institutions and Services
Az Zawiya town has a number of local institutions and associations that provide services to various
sectors of society. These include (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012):
Az Zawiya Municipal Council: Founded in 1997 by the Ministry of Local Government, with
the aim of taking care of the town issues and providing various services to its population, in
addition to infrastructure services.
Abdul Qader Abu Nab’ah Cultural Center: Founded in 2007 by the Ministry of Interior, with
the goal of providing various cultural, educational and instructional activities.
Az Zawiya Sports Club: Founded in 2007 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The Club is
interested in sports, cultural and social activities for youth.
Young Leaders Club: Founded in 2005 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The Club is
interested in youth as it provides them with various cultural, sports, social and educational
activities and programs.
Az Zawiya Women Charitable Society: Founded in 2007 by the Ministry of Cultural, aiming to
provide women and children with different activities and services.
Youth Rehabilitation Society: Founded in 2006 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and is
interested in developing young person‟s capacities.
Springs Cultural Center: Founded in 2007 by the Ministry of Cultural, aiming at the
development of the cultural sector.
Sanabil al Balad Center: Founded in 2007 by the Ministry of Cultural, aiming at the
development of the cultural sector.
An Noor Society: Founded in 2008 by the Ministry of Cultural, interested in educating young
people and developing their capacities.
Az Zawiya Cooperative Agricultural Society: Founded in 2010 by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Society is interested in farmers as it assists them in reclaiming and developing their lands, as
well as constructing agricultural wells.
Infrastructure and Natural Resources
Electricity and Telecommunication Services:
Az Zawiya has been connected to a public electricity network since 1993. It is served by the Israeli
Qatariya Electricity Company, which is the main source of electricity in the town, and approximately
100% of the housing units in the town are connected to the network. The town residents face some
problems concerning electricity, primarily the aged electrical network and its need for rehabilitation and
maintenance (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
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Az Zawiya is also connected to a telecommunication network. Approximately 80% of the housing units
within the town boundaries are connected to phone lines (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
Transportation Services:
There are 11 taxis and 2 public buses in Az Zawiya. However, residents suffer from the lack of vehicles
in the town, the poor infrastructure of roads, the existence of the Segregation Wall and the lack of a
direct transportation line between Az Zawiya town and Ramallah city (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012). There
are 11 km of main roads and 16 km of secondary roads in Az Zawiya (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012) (See
Table 11).
Table 11: Roads in Az Zawiya town
Status of Internal Roads Road Length (km)
Main Sub
1. Paved & in good condition 3 5
2. Paved but in poor condition 6 8
3. Unpaved 2 3 Source: Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012
Water Resources:
Az Zawiya is provided with water by the „West Bank Water Department through the public water
network established in 1982 All housing units are connected to the water network (Az Zawiya Municipality,
2012)
The quantity of water supplied to Az Zawiya town in 2010 was recorded at approximately 188,605 cubic
meters (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012). Therefore, the estimated rate of water supply per capita is
approximately 100 liters/day. However, no Az Zawiya citizen consumes this amount of water due to
water losses, which are estimated at 22% (PWA, 2010). These losses happen at the main source, major
transport lines, in the distribution network, and at the household level. Therefore, the rate of water
consumption per capita in Az Zawiya is 78 liters per day (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012). The average water
consumption of Az Zawiya residents is low compared with the minimum quantity of 100 liters per capita
per day proposed by the World Health Organization. Each cubic meter of water from the public network
costs 3.5 NIS (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
The town has 7 springs; 4 of which are embedded, whereas water from the rest of 3 springs is used as
drinking water for livestock in the town (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012). Moreover, located in the town are
40 household rainwater harvesting cisterns (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
Sanitation:
Az Zawiya lacks a public sewerage network and most of the population use cesspits and septic tanks, as
a main means for wastewater disposal (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012).
Based on the estimated daily per capita water consumption, the approximated quantity of wastewater
generated per day, is 322 cubic meters, or 117,689 cubic meters annually. At the individual level, it is
estimated that the per capita wastewater generation is approximately 63 liters per day. The wastewater
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collected by cesspits and septic tanks is discharged by wastewater tankers directly to open areas or
nearby valleys with little regard for the environment. Here it is noted that there is no wastewater
treatment either at the source or at the disposal sites and this poses a serious threat to the environment
and the public health (ARIJ - WERU, 2012).
Solid Waste Management:
The Joint Services Council of West Salfit is responsible for the collection and disposal of solid waste
generated by citizens and establishments in the town. As the process of solid waste management is
costly, a monthly fee amounting to 10 NIS/ month is charged to the population and facilities served by
domestic solid waste collection and transportation services. However, the collected fees are not
considered sufficient for a good management of solid waste, especially considering only 80% of these
fees are collected from the citizens (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012)
Most of the population in Az Zawiya benefits from the solid waste services, whereby waste is collected
from households, institutions, shops, and public squares in plastic bags, and placed in 60 containers,
located at various points in the town. The Joint Council collects the solid waste three times a week and
transports it using a waste vehicle to the town‟s dumping site, 2 km from the town, where it is burnt and
buried in an un-environmental way (Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012)
The daily per capita rate of solid waste production in Az Zawiya is 1.05kg. Thus the estimated amount
of solid waste produced per day from the Az Zawiya residents is nearly 5.4 tons, or 1,976 tons per year (ARIJ-WERU, 2012).
Environmental Conditions Like other towns and villages in the Governorate, Az Zawiya experiences several environmental
problems which must be addressed and solved. These problems can be identified as follows:
Water Crisis
Water is cut off by the West Bank Water Department for long periods of time during summer in
several town neighborhoods, for numerous reasons:
1. Israeli control over Palestinian water resources causes problems in the organization of water
pumping and its distribution among populations. The West Bank Water Department
distributes water to various areas on an interval basis because the quantity of water available
is not sufficient to simultaneously supply everyone‟s needs. In addition, the West Bank
Water Department purchases water from Israeli Companies in order to meet the citizens‟
water needs.
2. High rate of water losses, due to the water networks- aged condition in need of rehabilitation
and renovation.
Wastewater Management
The absence of a public sewage network in the town means that Az Zawiya residents are forced
to use unhygienic cesspits for the disposal of wastewater, and/or to discharge wastewater into the
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streets. This is particularly common in winter, as citizens cannot afford the high cost of sewage
tankers during this period. These methods facilitate environmental damage, health problems, and
the spread of epidemics and diseases in the town. This wastewater also contaminates the
groundwater because most cesspits are built without lining, to avoid the need to use sewage
tankers and allow wastewater to enter into the ground. Moreover, the untreated wastewater
collected from cesspits by sewage tankers is disposed of in open areas without concern for the
damage it causes to the environment and to residents' health.
Solid Waste Management:
Zahrat al Finjan landfill, in Jenin Governorate, (approximately 32 km in distance from the center
of Salfit Governorate) is considered the central sanitary landfill which is supposed to serve Salfit
Governorate. However, the Municipalities and Village Councils in Salfit Governorate do not
transfer the solid waste to Zahrat al Finjan landfill, but rather get rid of waste in random dumps
scattered throughout the Governorate. This is due to the high costs of transporting and disposing
waste in the landfill. As a result, wastes are being disposed randomly in these landfills causing an
abomination to health, and leading to the proliferation of harmful flies, insects, and mice, as well
as the bad odors, toxic gases and black smoke emitted when burned. All of this has harmful
effects on human health and the environment.
The lack of a central sanitary landfill to serve Az Zawiya and other neighboring communities in
the Governorate is due mainly to the obstacles created by the Israeli authorities for local and
national institutions in granting licenses to establish such a landfill. The main impediment cited
is that the appropriate land is within Area C and under Israeli control. Additionally, the
implementation of such projects depends on funding from donor countries. The lack of a sanitary
landfill is a source of pollution to the groundwater and soil through the leachate produced from
the solid waste, and produces bad odors and distortion of the landscape.
Impact of the Israeli Occupation
Geopolitical status in Az Zawiya
According to the Oslo II Interim Agreement signed between the Palestinian Liberation Organization
(PLO) and Israel on 28th
September 1995, Az Zawiya was divided into areas “B” and “C”.
Approximately 1,138 dunums (9.5% of the town‟s total area) were assigned as area B, where the
Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has a complete control over civil matters but Israel continues to
have overriding responsibility for security. Area B constitutes most of the inhabited Palestinian areas,
including municipalities, villages and some refugee camps. It is worth noting that most of the town‟s
population resides in area B which constitutes a small percentage of the town‟s total area. The rest of the
town‟s area, constituting 10,862 dunums (90.5% of the total area), is classified as area C, where Israel
retains full control over security and administration related to the territory (table 12). In area C
Palestinian building and land management is prohibited unless through consent or authorization by the
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Israeli Civil Administration. Most of the lands lying within the area Care agricultural areas, open spaces,
Israeli settlements and lands isolated behind the Segregation Wall.
Table 12: The Geopolitical Divisions of Az Zawiya – Salfit Governorate
Percent of Total town area Area in dunums Area
0 0 Area A
9.5 1,138 Area B
90.5 10,862 Area C
0 0 Nature Reserve
100 12,000 Total Source: ARIJ-GIS, 2013
The Israeli Occupation Practices in Az Zawiya Town
Az Zawiya town has been subjected to numerous Israeli confiscations for the benefit of the various
Israeli objectives, represented in the construction of Israeli settlements, checkpoints, outposts and bypass
roads on the town territories. This is in addition to the Segregation Plan represented by the Segregation
Wall. That which follows is a breakdown of the Israeli confiscations to have negatively affected Az
Zawiya town territories:
During their occupation of the Palestinian territories, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) confiscated 662
dunums (5%) in Az Zawiya to establish Mazor Atiqa (Israeli Quarry) industrial settlement west of the
town, located behind the Segregation Wall. The settlement was established in 1986 on lands owned by
citizens of Az Zawiya. Through these quarries, the occupation authorities seek to exploit Palestinian
natural resources and control over more land. It is worth noting that at the end of 2011, the Israeli
Supreme Court issued a decision that allows the Israeli quarries to continue its work within the occupied
West Bank, in response to the economic requirements of the Israeli entity of raw materials, without
establishing new quarries in the West Bank. This decision came after two years of submitting an
objection by a number of human rights and humanitarian organizations against quarries in the West
Bank. In a report carried out by the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ), it shows that Israel
transfers and sells 94% of what is extracted from the occupied Palestinian territories to Israel, which
constitutes approximately 25% of raw materials that Israel consumes. Also Israel exploits other natural
resources such as water, an essential life preserving entity which is a clear breach of International Law.
International Law claims that occupation should not exploit the natural resources existing in the
occupied Palestinian territories for its economic favor, which should be used only for the benefit of
those who are under occupation or temporarily for military purposes.
Following the outbreak of the Second Palestinian Intifada in September 2000, the Israeli occupation
authorities established a number of Israeli military checkpoints in Az Zawiya town. Of the main
checkpoints is “Kafr Qasem” permanent military checkpoint west of the town, established on Israeli
bypass road 5. This represents a crossing to the occupied Palestinian territories inside 1948 boundaries,
and which only allows entry to people holding the blue ID or those with special permits.
There is another checkpoint, a road gate established on the entrance of “Megen Dan” Israeli outpost of
“Elkana” Israeli settlement, northwest of Az Zawiya town. A third checkpoint, a walled gate on the
Segregation Wall route west of the town, allows Palestinian farmers at certain times during the year, to
access their lands isolated west of the Wall. They are only allowed entry through the granting of special
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permits. These checkpoints aim at restricting Palestinian movement, in addition to the Israelis allegation
of protecting settlers living near Palestinian villages.
In addition, lands of Az Zawiya town have been forcefully seized by Israeli settlers to establish “Megen
Dan” Israeli outpost of “Elkana” Israeli settlement, in an attempt to expand the settlement and control
more Palestinian land. This settlement was established in 1999 on a total area of 76 dunums of Az
Zawiya town lands. Moreover, during the past two decades Israel constructed 232 outposts within the
West Bank. These outposts are considered the nucleus for the development of new settlements. Outposts
are composed of mobile caravans on the stolen lands by the settlers and represent a contiguity of a
mother settlement that is near. It is worth mentioning that the epidemic of Israeli outposts started with a
“Sharonian” call for Jewish settlers to take control over Palestinian hilltops to prevent transferring them
to Palestinians in negotiations. Although the successive Israeli governments haven‟t legalized this
phenomenon, they managed to find a security and logistic cover to justify the act and its continuity.
After 2001 the then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon unleashed the expansion of outposts which has led to a
significant increase in the number of outposts within Palestinian areas. In addition, Israeli Occupation
Forces (IOF) helped Israeli settlers to move and settle in those outposts, in addition to protecting and
providing them with the necessary infrastructure to guarantee their continued existence.
Moreover, the Israeli Government confiscated thousands of agricultural and non-agricultural dunums to
open several bypass roads that stretch thousands of kilometers from the north to south of the West Bank
in order to link Israeli settlements, dismember Palestinian lands and enhance security control over it.
Israel has additionally confiscated lands from Az Zawiya for the construction of the Israeli bypass road
no. 5 known as “Samaria Crossing” and bypass road no. 505, on lands to the north and west of Az
Zawiya Both roads extend for 6.3km on the town‟s land. The real threat of the bypass roads however lies
in the buffer zone formed by the IOF along these roads extending approximately 75 m on each side.
These buffer zones dramatically increase the total area of land affected by the construction of the bypass
roads.
The Israeli Segregation Wall Plan in Az Zawiya Town
The Israeli Segregation Wall plan had a negative and destructive impact on Az Zawiya residents. The
latest route of the Israeli Segregation Wall Plan, published on the Israeli Ministry of Defense's website
in 2007, shows that the existing Wall on Az Zawiya northern and western town lands, extends for 8.2km
and confiscates 4,264 dunums (36%) of the town‟s total area, and isolates more lands for Israeli
settlement activities. The majority of lands isolated by the Wall includes agricultural areas, open spaces,
and Israeli settlements constructed on the town lands, in addition to shrubs , herbaceous vegetation, and
others (See Table 13).
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Table 13: Land Classification of the Isolated lands in Az Zawiya Town – Salfit Governorate
No. Land Classification Area (in dunums)
1 Open Spaces 2,489
2 Israeli Settlements 662
3 Agricultural Areas 645
4 Shrubs and Herbaceous Vegetation 291
5 Wall Zone 125
6 Israeli Crossing 42
7 Soil Landfill Area 10
Total 4,264 Source: The Geo-informatics Department – ARIJ 2013
The Wall scheme has also shown that the urban area in Az Zawiya town (in addition to Palestinian urban
areas in villages of Rafat and Deir Ballut) will become isolated from neighboring Palestinian villages as
they will be encircled by the wall from all sides. There is a wall west of the town and a planned wall to
be built to the east, north and south of the town. Upon the completion the wall‟s construction in the
region, “Az Zawiya Isolation” (which also includes the villages of Rafat and Deir Ballut) will be linked
with villages of Salfit through a small tunnel linking Az Zawiya town with Mas-ha village and passes
under Israeli bypass road 5; known as "Samaria Crossing".
Furthermore, Palestinian farmers in Az Zawiya town are being deprived by Israeli occupation authorities
from accessing their land which have become isolated west of the wall (within the Western Segregation
Zone) and which cannot be accessed without special permits issued by the Israeli civil administration
office (ICA). These lands must now be reached through a special gate that has been established on the
wall route in the region. It is worth noting that access to isolated land is restricted only to farmers who
are able to prove their ownership of the land before official Israeli departments (such as the Israeli civil
administration). Permits are issued to owners of land, usually older people, whose names are listed in the
real estate property deeds. One should be noted that the Israeli Civil Administration issues these permits
in certain agricultural seasons, which makes it difficult for owners to cultivate their agricultural land by
themselves, especially since these permits do not include laborers or equipment needed to cultivate
lands.
It should also be noted that villages of Salfit Governorate are known for their fertile soil, their beautiful
nature and the abundance of water and large trees, especially olive trees. This makes the region an
important target for Israeli settlement activities, in addition to being the second Governorate after
Jerusalem on the list of land confiscation, wall and settlement construction.
Military Orders Issued in Az Zawiya Town
The Israeli occupation Army has issued many military orders to confiscate lands in Az Zawiya town:
Israeli Military Order No. (24/04/T): Issued on the 4th
March 2004, confiscating a total area of
317 dunums of Az Zawiya, Deir Ballut, Mas-ha and Rafat village lands in order to construct the
Israeli Segregation Wall.
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On the morning of January 81 2012, the Israeli Civil Administration Office handed military
notifications that states the confiscation of more lands in Az Zawiya town and Mas-ha village,
west of Salfit Governorate. The notifications included the following:
o Israeli Military Notification No. (88/04/T) (validity extension of No. 2): Issued on 29th2
January 2012, and confiscates an area of 40.4 dunums of Az Zawiya and Mas-ha lands for
security purposes, to build the Segregation Wall in the region. It should be noted that the
notifications of land seizure that had been previously confiscated by the occupation, came
because the occupation authorities did not complete the construction of a section of the
wall (fence) at the planned site as stated in the Military Order. This was due to petitions
submitted by Palestinians to the Israeli Supreme Court against the construction of the wall
(fence) in the area, questioning the legitimacy of its location, which upon its
implementation will deprive Palestinians from their agricultural lands. This in turn
prompted the Israeli government to issue a validity extension of the Israeli military order;
first in 2009 and then in 2011, so that Israel can complete the construction of the wall (the
fence) in the region and tighten its isolation process.
o Israeli Military Order No. (79/06/T): Issued on the 9th
September 2006 and confiscates an
area of 72.2 dunums of Az Zawiya town land for military purposes. This is in order to
establish a road for Israeli military patrols. On 29th
January 2012, the Israeli occupation
authorities handed inhabitants of Az Zawiya Israeli Military Order No. (06/79/T) (validity
extension of No. 3) to confiscates an area of 78 dunums of land in Az Zawiya town for
security purposes. The Israeli government issued a validity extension of the Israeli
military order for the first time in 2008, the second time in February 2010 and for the
third time in the beginning of 2012, so that Israel will be able to complete the
construction of the wall (fence) in the region and tighten its isolation process.
o The Israeli occupation authorities issued another military notification under the name of
„A command for Building Control (Judea and Samaria) No. 393, a declaration to
prevent and stop construction No. 11/01/August in the seam zone barrier 5772-
2011,‟ which includes the prevention of construction in the area known as “Al Wa‟rah”
in Az Zawiya town; 2 km in length and 8 km in width from both sides along the
Segregation Wall in the region, which serves as a bouncing or safe zone imposed by the
Israeli army along the Wall. Here, Palestinians are not allowed to construct or use the
lands for any purpose.
Moreover, on the 8th
January 2008, Israeli occupation authorities announced their intention to
confiscate 9 dunums of agricultural in Mas-ha and Az Zawiya localities through notification No.
41/07/T to construct a settlement road for Israeli security reasons. The construction of this new
Israeli bypass road, which is 2 km long according to the Military Order, started on the 15th
of
January 2008 and confiscated 20 dunums of Palestinian land which is double the area that was
announced in the military order. The affected territories are owned by citizens Jamal Abdullah
Abu Bih and Raafat Hasan Qadoos from Az Zawiya town, and Sadeq Dheeb Odah and Abdul
Khaliq Hasan Amer from Mas-ha village.
1 Confiscation until further notice in Az Zawiya and Mas-ha - Salfit Governorate
http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=4126 2 Confiscation until further notice in Az Zawiya and Mas-ha - Salfit Governorate
http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=4126
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On 20th
December 2007, Israeli occupation authorities distributed a map that shows the path of
the road to be constructed in the region. It is claimed that the road will serve Palestinians through
facilitating the movement of farmers to their agricultural lands located in Khirbet Sirisya to the
north-west of Az Zawiya town and adjacent to the Racial Segregation Wall, however, the nature
of land that will underlie the street is unsuitable for cultivation and reclamation, and Palestinians
are not allowed to use it under the pretext that the area is classified as a "closed military zone"
because of its proximity to Elkana settlement and Israeli bypass road No. 5 (Samaria Crossing).
For this reason, the construction of this street comes in order to link Elkana settlement with the
Israeli bypass road (5) which is conjoined with the existing Israeli settlements within the 1948
borders.
Additionally, on the morning of May 3, 2011, the Israeli occupation authorities handed
Palestinian farmers a militarily notification signed by the commander of the occupation army in
the West Bank named 'Abi Libnski Mizrahi'. The notification holds number (07/14/T) under the
title 'continuing the occupation of lands' with an area estimated of approximately 381 dunums. It
should be noted that the first confiscation of land was in 2007 with the aim of surrounding
„Azzun „Atma village with the Wall from three sides; western, eastern and southern, and
isolating it from surrounding Israeli settlements (Etz Efrayim, Sha'are Tikva, Benot Orot Yisra'el
and Elkana). The lands threatened with confiscation are located in the villages of „Azzun „Atma,
Sanniriya, Beit Amin and Az Zawiya, in addition to Kafr Qassem town, inside the Green Line.
The Israeli occupation authorities notified the villagers of the aforementioned localities for the
first time in October 2007, to confiscate 381 dunums to build the Racial Segregation Wall around
„Azzun „Atma village from three sides; Southern, Eastern and Western, and to put one outlet to
the village from the north, to be controlled by the Israeli occupation in term of enter and exit. It
is worth noting that since before 2010 this gate has been guarded by the Israeli occupation army.
Additionally, during April 2012, the Israeli occupation authorities handed a militarily
notification which included the confiscation of least 3000 dunums of agricultural lands in Az
Zawiya, Deir Ballut and Rafat villages, that fall within an “isolation” area according to the
Segregation Wall plan. This area, according to Israeli authorities must be isolated under security
pretexts. The military notification came under the title „An order for the closure of an area (to
prevent entry and stay) No. 93/3/S (Amendment of Borders),‟ to continue the confiscation of
more than 3000 dunums to the west of Salfit Governorate, where Palestinian farmers presence on
their agricultural lands, in addition to cultivating or changing their features is forbidden, under
the pretext of being within closed military territories.
Development Plans and Projects
Implemented Projects
Az Zawiya Municipal Council has implemented several development projects in Az Zawiya during the
past five years (See Table 14).
Table 14: Implemented Development Plans and Projects in Az Zawiya during the Last Five Years
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Name of the Project Type Year Donor
Constructing a headquarters, a pool and a park
for Az Zawaiya Municipality Public Services 2007 Belgium Cooperation
Constructing Az Zawiya Co-educated Elementary
School Educational 2007 PECDAR
Paving and rehabilitating internal roads Infrastructure 2008 Municipalities Fund
Constructing concrete road shoulders. Infrastructure 2008 ACTED
Supplying water and electricity tools and
equipment
Public Services 2008 Municipalities Fund
Opening and rehabilitating agricultural roads Agricultural 2009 PECDAR
Paving and rehabilitating internal roads Infrastructure 2010 Kuwaiti Arab Fund
Rehabilitating agricultural roads, wells and
mountain chains
Infrastructure 2010 Red Cross Society
Source: Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012
Proposed Projects
Az Zawiya Municipal Council, in cooperation with the civil society organizations in the town and the
town residents, hopes to implement several projects in the coming years. The project ideas were
developed during the PRA workshop conducted by ARIJ staff in the town. The projects are as follows,
in order of priority from the viewpoints of the participants‟ in the workshop:
1. Operating the health center and supplying it with a medical staff of various medical specialties,
in addition to equipment and an ambulance for emergencies.
2. Rehabilitating and renewing the water network (approx. 20 km).
3. Rehabilitating the municipal stadium, and providing it with lights and grass.
4. Constructing additional classrooms in the Boys Elementary School and the Co-educated
Elementary School, along with constructing a guarding fence around the later. In addition there
is needed construction of a storehouse and a computer lab with all equipment in the Boys
Secondary School, and rehabilitating and paving the Girls Elementary School‟s playground (area
of 1500 square meters).
5. Expanding the structural plan of the town.
6. Constructing two new typical schools; one for boys and one for girls.
7. Maintaining and expanding the electricity network (approximately 4 km).
8. Constructing roads (7 km) and paving and rehabilitating existing roads (8 km).
9. Renovating the old town buildings and archaeological sites.
10. Creating small development projects to accommodate the town‟s labor force, such as sewing
workshops and food processing factories.
11. Constructing a headquarters for the youth club.
12. Classifying and providing a Deed for the town territory.
13. Establishing an industrial zone in the town.
14. Establishing a dairy factory in order to create new jobs.
15. Establishing a sewage network (approximately 20 km).
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Locality Development Priorities and Needs
Az Zawiya suffers from a significant shortage of infrastructure and services. Table 15 shows the
development priorities and needs in the town, according to the municipal council‟s point of view.
Table 15: Development Priorities and Needs in Az Zawiya
No. Sector Strongly
Needed
Needed Not a
Priority
Notes
Infrastructural Needs
1 Opening and pavement of roads * 14 km^
2 Rehabilitation of old water networks * 16 km
3 Extending the water network to cover new built up
areas *
3 km
4 Construction of new water networks * 3 km
5 Rehabilitation/ construction of new wells or springs * 7 springs
6 Construction of water reservoirs * 500 m3
7 Construction of a sewage disposal network * 30 km
8 Construction of a new electricity network * 4 km
9 Providing containers for solid waste collection * 20 containers
10 Providing vehicles for collecting solid waste *
11 Providing a sanitary landfill *
Health Needs
1 Building new clinics or health care centres * 2 health centers
2 Rehabilitation of old clinics or health care centres * 2 health centers
3 Purchasing medical equipment and tools *
Educational Needs
1 Building new schools *
elementary school
for boys
2 Rehabilitation of old schools *
The Girls
Secondary School
3 Purchasing new school equipment * computer labs
Agriculture Needs
1 Rehabilitation of agricultural lands * 12,000 dunums
2 Building rainwater harvesting cisterns * 7 cisterns
3 Construction of livestock barracks *
4 Provision of Veterinary Services *
5 Provision of seeds and hay for animals *
6 Construction of new greenhouses *
7 Rehabilitation of greenhouses * 5 greenhouses
8 Provision of field crops seeds *
9 Provision of plants and agricultural supplies *
^ 3 km main roads, 4 km secondary roads and 7 km are agricultural roads Source: Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012
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References:
Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ), 2013. Geographic Information Systems and
Remote Sensing Unit Database. Bethlehem - Palestine.
Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ), 2013. Geographic Information Systems and Remote
Sensing Unit; Land Use Analysis (2012) – Half Meter High Accuracy. Bethlehem - Palestine.
Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ). 2012. Water & Environment Research Unit
Database (WERU). Bethlehem - Palestine.
Az Zawiya Municipality, 2012.
Ministry of Education & Higher Education (MOHE) - Salfit, 2012. Directorate of Education; A
database of schools (2011/2012). Salfit – Palestine.
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. 2009. Ramallah, Palestine: General Census of Population
and Housing Censuses, 2007.
Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), 2010. Directorate of Agriculture data (2009/2010).
Salfit - Palestine.
Palestinian Water Authority. 2012. Ramallah, Palestine: Water Supply Report, 2010.